Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[disney4life2008]

It’s a better idea than just showing up and being told “we’re full, go home”. Imagine being told that at rope drop. At least some kind of entire park reservation system lowers incidents of total disappointment (imo)

I'm pretty sure they will follow what they do on phased closings. So long the resorts are open, those guests must be able to get in which would be phase 3. To appease locals, we can get in. Now for for those off site, good luck. And for measure, do not allow any of those non Disney hotels in either.

 

[zengoth]

Is there really going to be that much demand when WDW opens up? The MK allegedly has a capacity of 100K guests so even if they limit it to 50% that’s 50,000 people. Any shot that over 50,000 people show up by rope drop? Even Christmas week and July 4th during a normal year the phased closing usually starts mid-day as crowds continue to surge. I guess anything is possible but my gut says its unlikely to be that packed.

Depends if they use 100k as their measuring stick. if it’s true that 30k is a normal crowded day, perhaps 50% is only 15k.

 

[GoofGoof]

Depends if they use 100k as their measuring stick. if it’s true that 30k is a normal crowded day, perhaps 50% is only 15k.

Why wouldn’t they use the park capacity? The guideline says 50%/75% of capacity not 50%/75% of a normal day. Capacity at a restaurant or retail store or theme park is set by fire code not by the owner. Disney could limit attendance further than the requirements if they chose to. Then they would need to decide if it’s worth opening at all. My gut still says they won’t go for a full park open until phase 2 at the earliest which caps them at 75% of capacity. I don’t see them coming close to phase closures on a regular basis at that level.

 

[zengoth]

Why wouldn’t they use the park capacity? The guideline says 50%/75% of capacity not 50%/75% of a normal day. Capacity at a restaurant or retail store or theme park is set by fire code not by the owner. Disney could limit attendance further than the requirements if they chose to. Then they would need to decide if it’s worth opening at all. My gut still says they won’t go for a full park open until phase 2 at the earliest which caps them at 75% of capacity. I don’t see them coming close to phase closures on a regular basis at that level.

Your logic is sound. with limited attractions, limited food seating, limited entrance into shops, 50k people standing around trying to social distance seems like a frustrating experience.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

They should just file for bankruptcy and sell the team to someone more altruistic.

This stuff irritates the heck out of me.
All these huge money making companies are now giving the money back because they have been called out. That’s the only reason. We so need more oversight on these small business money being handed out. You have to put in for the payout correct? Who in these million dollar companies is actually sitting down and saying, yes, put in for our share. It’s a joke.Some blame needs to go towards the people that didn’t have the proper regulations in place before releasing the cash.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Why wouldn’t they use the park capacity? The guideline says 50%/75% of capacity not 50%/75% of a normal day. Capacity at a restaurant or retail store or theme park is set by fire code not by the owner. Disney could limit attendance further than the requirements if they chose to. Then they would need to decide if it’s worth opening at all. My gut still says they won’t go for a full park open until phase 2 at the earliest which caps them at 75% of capacity. I don’t see them coming close to phase closures on a regular basis at that level.

Open spaces are not regulated the same as buildings giving the parks a good bit of leeway in determining their capacity. Even if they were based on the building regulations, standing room Assembly occupancies assume 7 SF per person, significantly smaller than the 28.25 SF required for individuals to maintain 6’-0” distancing.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Guidelines <> Laws

Are you joking? Disney will not expose their guests to the potential for illness or injury. Guidelines are what they will follow.

 

[GoofGoof]

Open spaces are not regulated the same as buildings giving the parks a good bit of leeway in determining their capacity. Even if they were based on the building regulations, standing room Assembly occupancies assume 7 SF per person, significantly smaller than the 28.25 SF required for individuals to maintain 6’-0” distancing.

Not everyone in the parks has to be 6 feet apart. I would assume the average family group is 3 to 4 people. Bigger groups offsetting couples or solo visitors. I don’t know what number they will use for a capacity limit for the parks. My assumption was they would use the same capacity number they use for phased closings but you guys could be right and they may use an alternate number that’s much lower. If it’s low enough that the parks are regularly reaching the limit at rope drop it’s probably a bad idea to even be open.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Why wouldn’t they use the park capacity? The guideline says 50%/75% of capacity not 50%/75% of a normal day. Capacity at a restaurant or retail store or theme park is set by fire code not by the owner. Disney could limit attendance further than the requirements if they chose to. Then they would need to decide if it’s worth opening at all. My gut still says they won’t go for a full park open until phase 2 at the earliest which caps them at 75% of capacity. I don’t see them coming close to phase closures on a regular basis at that level.

There's zero way to socially distance with 50K guests in the park, that's an average summer day. Especially if you start having 6' spacing between parties in queues and/or start using virtual queues which pushes more people into walkways etc.

 

[GoofGoof]

There's zero way to socially distance with 50K guests in the park, that's an average summer day. Especially if you start having 6' spacing between parties in queues and/or start using virtual queues which pushes more people into walkways etc.

Is there really any way to social distancing if it’s 25,000 people or 10,000? Again, I didn’t make up the recommendation that’s coming from the county. If they wanted something lower I would have assumed they would have said it. Disney could always cap it lower.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Why wouldn’t they use the park capacity? The guideline says 50%/75% of capacity not 50%/75% of a normal day. Capacity at a restaurant or retail store or theme park is set by fire code not by the owner. Disney could limit attendance further than the requirements if they chose to. Then they would need to decide if it’s worth opening at all. My gut still says they won’t go for a full park open until phase 2 at the earliest which caps them at 75% of capacity. I don’t see them coming close to phase closures on a regular basis at that level.

Maybe because 50% of max capacity is still 66% more than the regular crowded day. And 50% of maximum is still 500% more than what the parks is really built for.

So again: 50% of maximum is already at "whoa, this place is packed!"

I think someone in the FL government is going to speak up if they see pics of MK stuffed with people such that the social distancing is impossible for the majority of people in the park because there's 50K people in the park. They're not going to buy Disney's claim that that only 50%, so, it's all ok!

Disney doesn't want to have it's own internal maximum capacity number closely looked at... they'd fail big time.

I've been in the parks where I thought the level of crowds at times were damned irresponsibly dangerous. There was enough people tightly packed in that crushing became a possibility, or if something bad happened, like a fire, there would definitely have been serious injuries or death from stampeding. Don't know how First Aid would have gotten to someone who was having a heart attack.

 

[DCBaker]

"Almost every Floridian deemed ineligible for unemployment benefits so far should reapply, a Department of Economic Opportunity spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Nearly 268,000 Floridians have been deemed ineligible since March 15 — about 40 percent of all claims the state has processed so far. But most of those people are flagged as ineligible for state benefits, which are hard to receive and max out at only $275 per week.

In reality, those people are likely eligible for the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits, which are $600 per week and apply to many more people, department spokeswoman Tiffany Vause said."

"Any of those people who applied on or before April 4 should reapply regardless of whether they’ve received a response from the department. If they’ve applied on or after April 5, the state will be able to process their claim and they do not need to do anything, Vause said.

Vause said the state is informing people who were deemed ‘ineligible’ that they might indeed be eligible. Rather than waiting for the department to contact the ineligible applicant — or trying to appeal your denied claim — those people should just apply again online at www.FloridaJobs.org.

“Going the reapplying route is going to be quicker,” Vause said."

Floridians deemed âineligibleâ for unemployment should reapply, state says

Those people have been deemed ‘ineligible’ for state benefits, but they’re likely eligible for federal benefits. To speed up the process, those people should just reapply.

www.tampabay.com

 

[TrojanUSC]

Is there really any way to social distancing if it’s 25,000 people or 10,000? Again, I didn’t make up the recommendation that’s coming from the county. If they wanted something lower I would have assumed they would have said it. Disney could always cap it lower.

Sure. 10,000 is a lot easier than 25,000 or 50,000. It will be like an "Disney After Hours."

Maybe because 50% of max capacity is still 66% more than the regular crowded day. And 50% of maximum is still 500% more than what the parks is really built for.

So again: 50% of maximum is already at "whoa, this place is packed!"

I think someone in the FL government is going to speak up if they see pics of MK stuffed with people such that the social distancing is impossible for the majority of people in the park because there's 50K people in the park. They're not going to buy Disney's claim that that only 50%, so, it's all ok!

Disney doesn't want to have it's own internal maximum capacity number closely looked at... they'd fail big time.

I've been in the parks where I thought the level of crowds at times were damned irresponsibly dangerous. There was enough people tightly packed in that crushing became a possibility, or if something bad happened, like a fire, there would definitely have been serious injuries or death from stampeding. Don't know how First Aid would have gotten to someone who was having a heart attack.

Internally the last night of MK operation was viewed as a complete disaster. The press they got from that was terrible. They will not permit anything like that or even close to it, until this is managed nationally. The last thing they want now is to be up there with the photos of beachgoers and deemed irresponsible.

 

[Lilofan]

Your logic is sound. with limited attractions, limited food seating, limited entrance into shops, 50k people standing around trying to social distance seems like a frustrating experience.

Limited entrance of number of guests in theme parks to the merchandise shops will not be that simple. After each show at Epcot World Showcase the hundreds of guests that watch the movie/show exit the theatre and filter right into the small and medium sized gifts shops. The cast member possibly shouting out " Keep moving.. Keep moving... "

 

[GoofGoof]

Maybe because 50% of max capacity is still 66% more than the regular crowded day.

That was my whole point from the start of this. The capacity limit recommended by the county is completely meaningless. There is not going to be a crowd big enough to trip that in phase 1 if the parks are even open. The narratives being discussed
here were people being notified their vacation was cancelled or being stopped at rope drop from entering because of a capacity limit.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

So long as they don't put to many restrictions on guests like forcing them to wear masks, the parks will be packed after opening. DVC members and Annual Passholders will be itching to get their moneys worth.
The next 2 weeks are the most important in a while with states reopening. If their is no resurgence in cases, this virus is done for in all but the major cities. It will be proof enough that the average American can resume their normal lives, although that won't return for years likely.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Limited entrance of number of guests in theme parks to the merchandise shops will not be that simple. After each show at Epcot World Showcase the hundreds of guests that watch the movie/show exit the theatre and filter right into the small and medium sized gifts shops. The cast member possibly shouting out " Keep moving.. Keep moving... "

I agree it won’t be that simple but they have said no fireworks or shows so probably wouldn’t see those crowds like that. Still, not easy to do.

 

[DisneyCane]

Ah, could be. I didn't view it from that perspective, but wouldn't that also include self-service drinks dispensers (soda/coffee etc)?

Edit to add: so in your interpretation, it would prevent Club/Concierge Lounges operating.

The drink dispensers are a little different because you don't have to touch anything and the liquid never comes in contact with something touched by somebody else. The issue with self serve food is people touching the food or coughing on it.

I'm pretty sure gas station soda fountains are still open. I'll have to look next time. A drink with a wrapped straw should be pretty safe. I never liked that when they had plastic straws they weren't wrapped.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

The drink dispensers are a little different because you don't have to touch anything and the liquid never comes in contact with something touched by somebody else. The issue with self serve food is people touching the food or coughing on it.

I'm pretty sure gas station soda fountains are still open. I'll have to look next time. A drink with a wrapped straw should be pretty safe. I never liked that when they had plastic straws they weren't wrapped.

Unwrapped straws freak me out, too. How many people take one or two too many and just stick them back in there?!?

 

[Kevin_W]

Well, it's good for minimizing germs on most surfaces, but completely ignores the facial area...which is where you're most likely to become infected from.

But you are most liekly to become infected from touching your face with germy hands. So it's definitely a help.